EP 189: The Future of Cannabis Trade Shows: Focused, Curated, and Regional
Fri Feb 06 2026
In this episode, I sit down with Wendy Campbell, VP of Sales at Jage Media. The team behind some of the most important cannabis trade shows in the industry. We talk about why trade shows still matter in cannabis. Even when everything feels digital, Wendy breaks down the three main types of trade shows. And explains how each one serves a different business goal from writing orders, to staying relevant to meeting the right people at the right time.
We also dig into how the cannabis industry has changed. Funding has been tight, so brands and retailers are no longer chasing capital first. Instead, they are focused on being smarter with every dollar they spend via long term relationships. Wendy explains how they make events valuable to the business that attend them. We cover the psychology of why trade shows helped build relationships that simply don’t happen online.
Finally, we talk about the fast growth of hemp beverages and how trade shows help normalize cannabis for everyday people. Education keeps coming up as the market brings in new consumers. Educating buyers, staff, and consumers is still critical to long-term growth. Wendy shares why she remains optimistic about the future of cannabis and hemp, even when headlines feel negative. If you are a cannabis business owner, investor, or service provider, this episode will help you understand where to show up, why it matters, and how to think long-term about growth.
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In this episode, I sit down with Wendy Campbell, VP of Sales at Jage Media. The team behind some of the most important cannabis trade shows in the industry. We talk about why trade shows still matter in cannabis. Even when everything feels digital, Wendy breaks down the three main types of trade shows. And explains how each one serves a different business goal from writing orders, to staying relevant to meeting the right people at the right time. We also dig into how the cannabis industry has changed. Funding has been tight, so brands and retailers are no longer chasing capital first. Instead, they are focused on being smarter with every dollar they spend via long term relationships. Wendy explains how they make events valuable to the business that attend them. We cover the psychology of why trade shows helped build relationships that simply don’t happen online. Finally, we talk about the fast growth of hemp beverages and how trade shows help normalize cannabis for everyday people. Education keeps coming up as the market brings in new consumers. Educating buyers, staff, and consumers is still critical to long-term growth. Wendy shares why she remains optimistic about the future of cannabis and hemp, even when headlines feel negative. If you are a cannabis business owner, investor, or service provider, this episode will help you understand where to show up, why it matters, and how to think long-term about growth.